Narrative:
After having been cleared to land on runway 11, the pilot lowered the landing gear. Upon landing the nose continued to drop until it struck the runway. Both propellers struck the runway and several fractured propeller pieces impacted both sides of the fuselage resulting in substantial damage. After initial nose impact, the airplane slid approximately 3,000 feet.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The operator's improper maintenance and servicing of the airplane's nose landing gear assembly, resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear during the landing roll. Contributing factors include the nose section of the airplane's subsequent contact with the runway, the impact of several fractured propeller pieces into the fuselage, and the operator's inadequate maintenance and servicing procedures."
| Status: | Final |
| Date: | Tuesday 18 November 2003 |
| Time: | 07:21 |
| Type: |  Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II |
| Operator: | Key Lime Air |
| Registration: | N332BA |
| MSN: | TC-222E |
| First flight: | 1976 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 23972 |
| Engines: | 2 Garrett TPE331-10UA-511G |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Grand Junction-Walker Field, CO (GJT) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Rifle-Garfield County Airport, CO (RIL), United States of America |
| Grand Junction-Walker Field, CO (GJT/KGJT), United States of America |
After having been cleared to land on runway 11, the pilot lowered the landing gear. Upon landing the nose continued to drop until it struck the runway. Both propellers struck the runway and several fractured propeller pieces impacted both sides of the fuselage resulting in substantial damage. After initial nose impact, the airplane slid approximately 3,000 feet.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The operator's improper maintenance and servicing of the airplane's nose landing gear assembly, resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear during the landing roll. Contributing factors include the nose section of the airplane's subsequent contact with the runway, the impact of several fractured propeller pieces into the fuselage, and the operator's inadequate maintenance and servicing procedures."
Accident investigation:
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Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Rifle-Garfield County Airport, CO to Grand Junction-Walker Field, CO as the crow flies is 82 km (51 miles).
Distance from Rifle-Garfield County Airport, CO to Grand Junction-Walker Field, CO as the crow flies is 82 km (51 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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